Matthew 5:3-12 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
The word translated “blessed” is sometimes translated “happy.”
In this sermon, the fifth in the series Jesus says that mercy leads to happiness.
The audio recording of the sermon is at the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.
Scripture Reading:
Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Text:
Matthew 5:7 ESV "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Introduction
This is the fifth in our series The Way To Happiness. In the series we’ve been looking at the Beatitudes, which we just read and which means extreme blessing or happiness. You will remember that the Beatitudes are part of a sermon that Jesus gave to his followers early in His earthly ministry. The Sermon on the Mount is a declaration of the kingdom of God and declares what the followers of Jesus, the people of the kingdom, are through the grace of God working in our lives. That entire sermon is in Matthew 5-7.
Today we are going to talk about the happiness that comes from extending mercy to others.
John Wesley visited General Oglethorpe when he was governor of the colony of Georgia. The general mentioned an incident involving a man who had angered him, and remarked, “I shall never forgive him!” Wesley answered, “Then I hope, sir, you never sin.” Wesley may have been thinking of Jesus’ teaching that those who are not merciful and forgiving will not be treated with mercy and forgiveness. Because later in this same Sermon Jesus said;
Matthew 6:14-15 ESV For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
We'll talk about this scripture later.
Living without mercy is the beginning of dying without mercy. On the other hand, living with mercy results in being treated with mercy.
As Jesus said it,
Matthew 5:7 ESV "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
And that is our text for today.
Matthew 5:7 ESV "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
This beatitude, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” raises three very practical questions that we need to address in order for us to see how being merciful can lead to happiness:
- What is mercy?
- How can I become merciful?
- And what can I expect as a result?
Finding the answer to these questions is the way to happiness.
1. What is mercy?
In the third sermon in this series we talked meekness.
Matthew 5:5 ESV "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
I said that one of the ways that meekness expresses itself is through self control and gentleness as we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and control us.
While meekness is rather a passive virtue, mercy is an active one.
This beatitude, "Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy" is really addressing forgiveness.
Or put another way,
Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Remember we are going to talk about this later.
The Hebrew word for mercy which appears in the Old Testament is hesed and of the more than 180 times it appears, the King James Version translates it 96 times as “mercy,” 38 times as “kindness,” and 30 times as “lovingkindness.”
The Greek word is elos and it is translated mercy 25 times and compassion 2 times in the New American Standard Version.
The English definition of mercy invariably refers to physical acts of kindness. For example, treating the poor with affection and generosity, feeding the homeless. But there is another dimension to mercy which is the essence of blessedness and happiness.
A. Mercy is not emotionalism.
To be merciful is far more than shedding tears. Of course, those who are merciful sometimes do shed tears. The scriptures tell us twice that Jesus wept. He cried with Martha and Maryas they grieved over their brother’s death. Another time he cried over the city of Jerusalem.
Luke 19:41-44 ESV And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
But Jesus did far more than just weep—he gave himself for those He wept for. It is easy for some to shed tears that are meaningless and unproductive. That's emotion without the motion—and that's not mercy!
B. Mercy is not just humanitarianism either.
Mercy goes beyond handing out clothes and food to the homeless and elderly. It's more than contributions to help victims of natural disasters and other tragic eve events.
1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
The mercy Jesus was talking about is much more than the mechanics of doing good.
C. Mercy is an attitude, an outlook on life.
It is not something that can be “turned on and off” at will. Mercy is more than end-of-the-year giving to the church for tax purposes. Mercy, as demonstrated by Christ, involves the way a person truly feels. It is an underlying attitude of life. Mercy is to see others as Christ sees them and feel toward others as he feels toward them. In short, mercy is to have the attitude of Christ toward everyone.
Philippians 2:1-7 ESV So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
That is mercy to the soul. It extends love and warmth to those deprived of a connection to God. It is sensitive to those that are bleeding and dying and bringing the healing that Christ bought on the cross for them through His own blood and death. To those that are weak and growing, it reaches out to strengthen and equip them through the word of God and prayer. It touches lives through counsel, reproof, prayer, forgiveness, comfort, offering God’s mercy through Christ. This mercy can only come from those lives in whom Christ lives and reigns, those hearts led by the Spirit.
D. Mercy is action.
Mercy is action. If we have an attitude of mercy, we will perform acts of mercy. When mercy is translated into action, we are kind and gracious in our judgment of others. We look for the best in others. Our concern is redemption, not condemnation.
Mercy that is action ministers to others like in Jesus parable of the Good Samaritan where at the end of the parable the lawyer had to admit that a “neighbor” is one who acts.
You know the story which is in
Luke 10:25-37 ESV And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live." But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise."
The Samaritan binds the injured man, then took him and cared for him then when he left he told the innkeeper to take care of him and he would pay for it. That's mercy.
Mercy that is action also forgives others. Perhaps there is no greater expression of love than forgiveness. When you have every right to be resentful but choose to forgive, you experience happiness that only mercy can bring.
God did that.
Romans 5:7-11 ESV For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

“Blessed are the merciful”—that sounds good, but how can I become merciful? If I'm not merciful how can I change?
A. First remember your own need for mercy.
We often make mistakes that require God’s mercy, so we should be merciful to others.
Paul reminds us to watch our own actions when we become aware of another who “is caught in a sin”
Galatians 6:1 ESV Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
Jesus also told us to check ourselves before we confront others;
Matthew 7:4-5 ESV Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
B. Find out more about anyone you are inclined to judge.
Chances are you really do not know that person very well. The word prejudice means “prejudging,” or making an estimate of others without knowing the facts. We frequently do this without knowing the person at all! It is easy to be unrelenting in our judgment of those we do not know, so we need to become better acquainted with others’ backgrounds, the problems they face, and the reasons for the scars they bear.
Matthew 7:1-3 ESV "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
That also goes back to the scripture that we just read from Galatians.
Galatians 6:1 ESV Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.
C. Finally allow Christ to show his mercy through you.
Christ in you is your only hope of becoming a loving, merciful person. As you surrender your bitterness and resentment to Christ and allow him to live and work freely through you, mercy becomes a normal attitude of life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
As this new creation you have the fruit of the Spirit deposited in you that enables you to me merciful.
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
3. What can I expect as a result of being merciful?
Back to our text;
Matthew 5:7 NKJV Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
“For they shall obtain mercy” is the promise attached to this beatitude
The mercy that comes to those who are merciful includes the following:
A. Mercy from others.
In many ways life is like a mirror. Life reflects what you put into it. If we are unkind, life becomes unkind. If we judge others, we will be judged by others. On the other hand, love produces love and mercy produces mercy.
Luke 6:37-38 ESV "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."
B Mercy from God.
To the extent that we forgive others, we are forgiven by God.
Matthew 6:14-15 ESV For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
I told you that we would get back to this scripture and talk about it.
First of all this has nothing to do with salvation because we don't have to forgive anybody for God to forgive us. He forgives us just because He loves us.
So if those of us who have been forgiven so much are unwilling to forgive others we can't expect God to show us the love and mercy we want. God will not show us the mercy and love we won't extend to others! If we forgive others when they injure us, our Father will forgive us. We forgive because we have been forgiven.
How are we to conduct ourselves in forgiving others? We must forgive, even if the offender does not ask to be forgiven. We should treat the one who has injured or offended us with kindness, not harboring any grudge or speaking of that individual condemningly. We should always be ready to do them good if the opportunity arises. This is a tall order!
Why act this way when it goes so strongly against human nature?
First, it produces peace. Second, it sets the example for the offending individual—and for everyone else—of the goodness of God. You are well on your way to a happy life when you allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse you of stubbornness and unforgiveness.
The “merciful shall obtain mercy.”
Conclusion
The world desperately needs to see mercy in action.
“For they shall obtain mercy” is a solemn reminder that we are all in need of mercy from God; that we are merely transmitters of God’s mercy. The more we transmit, the more we receive. Mercy is not something we can keep for ourselves it has to be shared and then we can “then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need”.
Hebrews 4:15-16 ESV For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Do we have the deep spiritual perception that can see souls in need? Are we prepared to go the extra mile to reach out and meet these needs? Are we faithful enough to persevere in the honorable role of being agents of mercy on behalf of Christ?
Matthew 5:7 ESV "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.